DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1927, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[ey telegraph—pee press association ]

SEAMEN OBJECT. AUCKLAND. Feb. 10. The Union Company’s steiuner Kaituna has been delayed at Auckland for two days owing to the crew refusing to take the vessel to sea. They allege that she is unseaworthy, and they request that an. inquiry into the matter should bo held. Officials of the Company have boon in communication with tho Marine Department. and it is understood that a reply received states that the Kaituna is seaworthy and has been granted a certificate to that effect. Tho Company is hopeful that the vessel will take her departure to-morrow. Tho Kaituna was recommissioned on Monday in order to load cement at Portland for southern ports, and Ihe samo lafternoon she was moved to the Prince’s AVliarf to take in stores and embark a now crew.

Tho complaint about her being imseawortliy was made after the crow had signed on tho ship’s articles. Owing to tho delay to the Kjiiituna. the Kauri is to take the loading berth at Portland. As a consequence, if tho Kaituna sails to-day. it will be for another port. FLOUR, DUTY. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 26. “This conference urgently requests the Government to (adopt one of the means at its disposal to prevent the importation of low-priced flour from depressing the price of New Zealand grown wheat, which is at the present time, to the great disadvantage of the grower. The deputation, previously appointed, is instructed to proceed to AYellington land press the matter strongly upon the Government.’’ The resolution above was carried unanimously to-day by a representative gathering of wheat growers, merchants, millers, and others in tlfe business associated with wheat growing. It was the general opinion of the meeting that the dumping duty should he 255. One speaker said that if this would not, suffice to exclude Australian flour the Government should use other means. , “Not to put, too fine a front on it, ’ said Mr AY. Macliin (general manager of the X.Z. Farmers Co-op Assn.) “we don’t want Australian flour here! It is an undue hurdle for our growers to face.” Ho also argued that if it was legitimate to put a 40 per cent duty on boots, whv not a 30 per cent on flour. AYELLINGTON, Feb. 16. Tho Hon. Downie Stewart says: The Government is criticised for the flour duty. The statute as to dumping duty has been represented <as requiring a dumping duty of £L 10s per ton, when the Australian domestic credit price is £l2 10s and the f.o.b. export price £ll. The fact has boon ignored that although the nominal domestic value is £l2 10s. and the actual cash price charged to the large domestic purchasers only £l2 2s 6d, an allowance of 7s 6d per . ton being obtainable for prompt payment and large orders, the further 7s 6d which is being allowed in calculating the dumping duty has been already explained as being due to the saving in handling the export orders as compared with domestictransactions.